What She Really Wanted
by Mistress Coyo
Summary: What could that dream have meant? Surely, by now, Sakura's managed to restrain her emotions. She swore to save them for him. She swore!


"Must've been something I ate," Sakura grumbled, her mind still dwelling on the happenings of her dream only hours ago. She shoved her foot into the hell of her nin sandal, and pushed back a strand of hair. "Yeah, that has to be it." Didn't it? It couldn't have actually meant anything, could it? "No," she told herself, taking one final look at herself in the full-length mirror across from her bed. "No, it was just the curry I ate before bed." She stopped to think. "Did I even have curry? I must've. Its the only explanation." Hands on her hips, she glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. "Oh no! I'm gonna be late!"

Weaving her way through the streets of Jonoha, Sakura slowed her pace only when turning corners. However, this didn't stop her from colliding with the one person she would rather not have. Not today. 

"Oh, Sakura-chan," Rock Lee greeted, caught offguard by the ordeal, though he played it off with a delighted smile. Oh no, she thought, forcing a short smile in return.

"Hi, Lee. Sorry..."

"Think nothing of it, sweet Sakura. You seem to be in a rush."

"Ah! That's right! Ohhh, Lady Tsunade is going to kill me."

"Then I'd best let you be on your way." Without waiting for a reply he stepped around her, and continued on his way.

"Lee," she whispered, her gaze following him as he disappeared in the waves of people. No fuss, she thought with a quirk of her eyebrow. No swooning? "I guess...he's got something to do..." She then turned, her feet pounding on the pavement once more.

"It worked!" Rock Lee murmered in delight, a dreamy smile on his blushing face. "Just like the book said: Give her some space and she will come to you. She watched me leave with such intent!" 

As Sakura approached the door to the Fifth Hokage's office, her assistant, Shizune, stepped out, closing the door slowly behind her. The mousy girl looked up, and gave a small start of surprise. 

"Oh, Sakura-san. Good morning." Sakura smiled.

"Ohaiyo. How are you today?"

"Off to a busy start. Lady Hokage is sending me out with some paperwork." Shizune slipped by, and Sakura proceeded to the door.

"Good morning, Lady Tsunade," she greeted, stepping into the middle of the spacious office. After a moment the sennin glanced up from her desk, where papers were strewn about the top.

"Oh...Sakura, hello." She sat back in her seat, a sigh escaping her. Sakura stood still, trying her best to keep still. It had been nearly six months since her training had begun, and every morning went this way. This morning, though, the Fifth seemed more weary.

"Can I get anything for you?" Sakura asked.

"No, but today I want your opinion on something."

"Tsunade-sama?" The Fifth laced her fingers beneath her chin, crossing one leg over the other.

"What would you say to a festival?" Sakura blinked. 

"A f-festival?" Tsunade gave a curt nod of her head.

"Morale seems to be low..." Her voice trailed off as the two held gazes. "I want to reward people for their hard work and loyalty... Konoha could use some fun." Sakura remained silent. "...What do you think?" 

"I..." She caught on her words, carefully choosing her prasing. Tsunade watched her intently. She squirmed under the blonde woman's intense gaze. She felt like a mare must feel, being prodded by the eyes of potential buyers. It was rather embarrassing. "I think its a great idea. You're absolutely right." This seemed to be the right thing to say because a small smile spread across the other woman's face. 

"I always said you were a bright girl, Sakura." She felt her face flush.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade."

It was well past dark when Sakura was finally released. To make up for the morning spent discussing the festival, Tsunade had kept her, exercising her harder than she had all month. She rubbed her sore shoulders, groaning softly under her breath at the thought of another day spent like this one, tomorrow.

A wave of sweet nostalgia stopped her in her tracks. She looked up to the sky, biting at her lower lip. "It was a night just like this," she whispered, a cold chill running down her spine. 

_"Sakura...thank you..."_ To this day she didn't understand why. Why had he thanked her? Thanked her, and then left, abandoning her hope of something. Something that wasn't the life she now led. 

_"Sakura-chan..."_

No, she told herself, hardening her heart against the sewn seeds of new emotion. She couldn't let them bloom. She wouldn't. She had locked her heart away that night; locked it away as she lay unconcious on the bench, where he had left her...left "them." 

_"Sakura"_

_"Sakura"_

_"Haruno Sakura..."_

"Sakura!" 

"Huh?" Blinking her eyes against the images of a ghost, she turned her head to find the one-eyed gaze of her teacher, Hatake Kakashi, on her. He stood on the tin roof of a short, stocky building, hands in the pockets of her navy blue pants. "S-sensei..." Her voice quivered, choking on painful memories. 

"I see Lady Fifth kept you later than usual tonight." 

"Hai..." She couldn't let him know why. It was true that Tsunade hasn't told her to keep the festival's plans a secret, but even so, it felt like it was one of those things that Tsunade had better report on her own, as Hokage of Konohagakure. "We were...on a roll." That was lame, she thought immediately, and rolled her eyes at herself. 

"I'm not surprised. My students have always been destined for greatness." 

Had she looked too deep into that statement? No. He had most definately added a tone to his voice as though to imply a meaning toward a specific shinobi. He was still a fresh wound in Sakura's heart. Kakashi knew this, and though it seemed cruel, he used it as a fuel to better her. Like her old team mates, Sakura, too, was on her way to a place in Konoha's legendary ninja. 

"Well, off with you now. Girls need their beauty rest, right?" Sakura grimaced, her brow furrowing.

"W-what do you mean, Kaka-sensei? Are you implying something!?" Beneath his mask, he grinned, bringing a hand from his pocket to wave a farewell to the kunoichi.

"Of course not. Now, I must be off. I think I hear Pakkun caught in a tree"

"Wait a minute, how can you hear someone caught in a -- "

Poof! He was gone. Just like that. Sakura grumbled, setting her fists on her hips. "Kaka-sensei," she huffed, her stare settled on the spot where he had just been, where a few strands of white smoke hovered in the air still.


End file.
